Please help with my custom nightmare! Long. Sorry

[The sun is shining]

I as hoping you could help me with the problem which has become my nightmare.

(I wrote this amd the board ate it, so I have a feeling this will be the shorted verion - lucky you!)

I live in Melbourne Australia, and after looking through PS for inspration, I decided I wanted a design similar to a ritani setting but with shared prongs. Halos are still relatively uncommon around here, so ater meeting some jewellers, I found one who would make one custom for me. I already had the stone, it simply needed a home so I could wear it. (.67,VS2, E, well cut)

I went in there iwht pictures a the ritani setting, I thoght I had described enough of what I wanted.

I went in 6 weeks later (yesterday) as they called and wanted to discuss the diamons I wanted hammer set on the inside of the band, and in short I was so disappointed. It was bezelled and I had specified no bezel. The diamonds were grain set, and I wanted shared prongs. The band was really chunky. I wanted delicate and thin.

They were really good about it, and relised they hadnt even looked at the pictures I has given them and they re totally remaking the piece. I have given what I thin is clear instuctions, that were written down, but I was hoping someone could photoshop something for me (my computer skills are limimted) so there is no confusion.

I was already losing sleep over this, and now my worries have heightened.

I am wanting a combination of the following.

Thanks.

 

[The sun is shining]

Hang on. Am trying to post photos.

 

[Odilia]

I am sorry to hear about your saga, and just wanted to say, I totally know the feeling. But it is good that they are remaking it for you. I would definitely try to get all the specs written as clearly as possible for them this time around. (although I thought I did that and I am in the midst of a custom nightmare too)

 

[The sun is shining]

the top view, with prongs.

 

[The sun is shining]

The side view

 

[The sun is shining]

The other side.

There are the pictures I gave the jeweller ( and a few othes on the same lines) - I didn''t think there was too much that could go wrong!

Thanks Old Fashioned Girl, I had thought everything was understood. I am so grateful Tim was so good about it - He was the one who initally sat with me to discuss it, and ad I was lookingat the ring, I get the feeling the conversation came rushing back to him. I ave asked him to oversee the project, but if it goes wong again... What then? Or am I placing too much emphasis on it?!

 

[NeverEndingUpgrade]

Sometimes with custom work it just takes several tries to get it right. It sounds like from the beginning that the shop just did not follow your instructions regarding the design and setting of the diamonds. I think it is interesting that you said, "I am so grateful Tim was so good about it - He was the one who initally sat with me to discuss it, and as I was looking at the ring, I get the feeling the conversation came rushing back to him." Everybody has their good days and bad days. Just like when you go to the same hairdresser you have been going to for years and she cuts your hair all weird--maybe something was going on and he was distracted. I don't know.

If he recalls the conversation, and you make it clear that you won't accept anything other than what you originally specified, then he should get it right eventually. I had a stone custom reset and I had to have the designer tweak it several times before I accepted it. But I did give him a lot of time, no time frame, actually. I just told him I wanted it done right. And he did.

I hope this doesn't stress you out too much. Custom jewelry work can be frustrating. But hopefully you can stick with it and end up with something you love.

 

[The sun is shining]

I''m not concerned too much about the time frame - although I really do love new additions!

The biggest issue was in the second time I went in i spoke to the store owner who is, apparently, the one who put the order through to the jeweller (and also now on holiday).

I also asked Tim to call me if there''s anything that cannot be done, so together we can work out the best solution is. I just wish they used some computer programs or models so I could see what I was getting before it was made. Thankfully they hadn''t sent it to the setters for the centre stones insertion, so it''s less that needs to be done for the ring to be sold to another.

I''m sure they''ll get it right - I just dont want to be some annoying woman who walks in and seems to always have issues. That''s not me! I dont want them to think it is. Although, I''ve begun to think I am asking too much. Shared prongs on this design are possible aren''t they? Even with an angled halo so it has a thin girdle?

BTW, please excuse my terrible typos.

 

[NeverEndingUpgrade]

I am certainly no expert on shared prongs but I would think it could be done. Don''t worry about what the jewelers think about you wanting what you want. You are spending a lot of money since it is jewelry and you could possibly wear it for a lifetime. Besides, chances are there is another customer who is more picky than you!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Have you seen other custom work by this jeweler that would lead you to believe they do a fine job with this type of ring? I don''t know too many that are the caliber of Leon Mege (which is one of your example photos), so I wouldn''t be too optimistic that you''d get that kind of quality unless you have seen that they do similar work.

 

[mrssalvo]

Ritani actually makes a shared prong halo ring like the one you are wanting to custom make. i think it''s called something other than shared prong...mushroom pave or something...

if you go to Ritani''s site it''s under the Bella Vita collection.

 

[arjunajane]

Date: 5/22/2008 8:56:21 PM
Author: The sun is shining
the top view, with prongs.

I agree, have you actually viewed a portfolio or real life pieces of custom work from this jeweler?
As much as it sounds a bit (well, you know..) there are actually few benchmen in the world capable of making very high quality work such as the Leon Mege picture you have posted.
I hope you''re project works out great - but perhaps you will have to sacrifice some small details and it won''t be *exactly* the same..? Does your jeweler have a website we can see?

 

[The sun is shining]

Thanks for all your help.

Mrssalvo, for some reason I hadn''t noticed the Bella Vita collection - I think I may have looked throughit briefly and nothing popped out at me. Oh how I wish Ritani was available here! I would much rather purchase the setting and be done with it. That''s going to be a great help for the jeweller.

Diamond seeker amd Arjunajane, I agree that there aren''t many people whose work could compare with Leon Mege, but I really love his designs. The jewellers I am using have some remarkable pieces, and I did see a ring there which was similar to what I was describing to them. Infact, they put the other ring in with my informaiotn so the jeweller could see what I was after - I believe the person who it was made for came to pick it up before the jeweller saw the reference and so the instrctions were lost in translation. The work of theirs I have seen looks well made, and I am feeling more confident than I was yesterday.

They dont have a detailled website - it seems that it is under construction, at least, one would hope so. The owner doesn''t seem to computer literate either. I agree that I would have to sacrifice some of the smaller details - that I can live with, it''s the dimensions I really need them to get right. NEU, hopefully I will love it and it will last a lifetime.

I really appreciate your input. I am speaking with Tim on tuesday as he wants to discuss the halo further. I am beginning to feel more settled. You guys have so much infromation, it''s such a great help.